Acoustics of the clarinet

Bb clarinet

multiphonic
D#4, D#5 & B5

Music Acoustics UNSW

index
E3 F3 F#3 G3 G#3 A3 A#3 B3
C4 C#4 D4 D#4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A4 A#4 B4
C5 C#5 D5 D#5 E5 F5 F#5 G5 G#5 A5 A#5 B5
C6 C#6 D6 D#6 E6 F6 F#6 G6 G#6 A6 A#6 B6
C7 C#7

multiphonics    
C4 & A#5 D#4 & C#6 F#4, G#5, D6 & G6
D4 & B5 E4 & C5 G#4, C5, A#5 & E6
D#4, D#5 & B5 F4 & G#5  
D#4, F5, C#6 & E#6 F4 & A5  

Impedance

Fingering
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered
a hole uncovered
a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched
Details in fingering legend.

Acoustic schematic
a closed tone hole
an open tone hole

Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance
Non-specialist introduction to clarinet acoustics

Notes are the written pitch.
Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb clarinet.
Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb clarinet.


Impedance spectrum of a Bb clarinet measured using fingering for the multiphonic D#4, D#5 and B5.

Here, the D#4 may be considered as produced by a variant of the E4 fingering, with cross fingering to make it flatter. The D#5 and B5 are produced by the second and third peaks in the impedance spectrum, which one could consider as the second and third resonances of a modified fingering for G3, with the open key acting as a register hole.

Sound


Sound spectrum of a Bb clarinet played using fingering for the multiphonic D#4, D#5 and B5.
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip

You can hear the multiphonic D#4, D#5 and B5 played.


Fingering legend
How were these results obtained?

Contact: Joe Wolfe / J.Wolfe@unsw.edu.au
phone 61-2-9385-4954 (UT +10, +11 Oct-Mar)
© 1997-2006 Music Acoustics UNSW